CAN YOU FLY IN YOUR DREAM?

Imagine a grub, two worms, a beetle and a caterpillar all gathered together underground during the cold winter days. Now imagine them again, but this time they are playing cards, talking about everyday things and also gossiping. The caterpillar says “I don't need food. All I need are dreams” The grub says that in his dreams he can fly and so continues their conversations days in and days out. Until one day… no one can find the caterpillar and a new discovery is made at the end of the winter. This is a beautiful illustrated book that will be enjoyed by everyone, including adults. IN MY DREAMS I CAN FLY by EVELINE HASLER and KATHI BHEND.

For grades pre-k to 1st.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

All libraries in the Glendale Public Library system will be closed at 5:00 p.m. today and remain closed until Monday, November 22.

We wish everyone a happy holiday!

THE RELATIVES ARE COMING! THE RELATIVES ARE COMING!

Julian is still (pretending to be) stuck on Earth and has to endure the earth festival of Thanksgiving. This second book is just as hilarious as the first and a bit longer so we can savor all the funny stuff. If you like your science fiction(ish) with a bit of humor then this is the book for you.

Julian Rodriguez Episode Two: Invasion of the Relatives by Alexander Stadler is perfect for 3rd through 5th graders.

GRACIAS - THANKS

This is the story of a child that from morning until bedtime, give thanks for everything. Told in English and Spanish, from the beginning of the day, the child makes a count of all the simple things in your life to be grateful. From ladybugs, his little brother, his best friend, his parents, his grandmother, his favorite pajamas, the chocolate syrup that his daddy melts and that looks like a thick mud up to the crickets singing a serenade at night.. Gracias -Thanks is a perfect book to read to any child between 4 and 7 years old around Thanksgiving Day or any other holiday. Great illustrations. Written by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra.

GAFF

Paul Silva, a thirteen years old guy, lives in a small farm in the hills of an island in Hawaii with his disabled father. His father, after having had an accident at a lumberyard that left him handicapped for the rest of his life, undertook a cockfighting business to support his family.Paul lives fascinated by the strong and beautiful spirit of these birds, and felt very proud of his father’s work, but had never had to witness a fight.On one occasion the older brother of a friend decides to start Paul in the macho culture of cockfighting with the excuse of learning to be a man, and force the child to witness the fight. Paul is in shock and amazed at what he sees. The roosters with sharp hooks and blades attached to their heels, they attack each other in a bloody battle to death.Disgusted by the brutal scene, Paul is committed to finding ways to get his family out of this cruel kind of business. Highly recommended to learn more about the Hawaiian culture and language.Grades 4-6. Ages 9-11. Written bye Shan E. Correa.

A BEDTIME FOR BEAR

Katherine from Pacific Park likes:

Author Bonny Becker delivers again with another wonderful installment in the Bear and Mouse series. This perfect bedtime story infuses beautiful watercolor illustrations, lessons of caring and sharing, and good old-fashioned humor. In A Bedtime for Bear, light sleeper Bear “invites” boisterous Mouse for a sleepover. At first Bear has trouble sleeping with Mouse’s distractions, then finds actual silence is not all it’s cracked up to be.

For Preschool – 2nd grade.

BE SPHDZ, SAVE THE WORLD

Jennifer, the children's librarian from the Montrose-Crescenta Branch likes:

Spaceheadz is Jon Scieska’s first book in a promising, new chapter book series. Michael K. is the new kid at school and just wants to fit in. But his class partners, who say they’re aliens, are making it difficult. They talk like TV advertisements, don’t understand earth rules, and follow a hamster’s orders. People are starting to notice. Even worse, the aliens need Michael’s help to save the world. He must convince 3.14 million (+1) kids to become SPHDZ (Spaceheadz) or earth will be “turned off.” Agent Umber, an anti-alien spy, is on their trail. Michael must decide whether to help the aliens or turn them in to the authorities.

A quirky, fun read about an alien takeover. For grades 3-4.

FROM THE LIBRARY CONNECTION @ ADAMS SQUARE

From Kristine:

The Animal Boogie by Debbie Harter is a great sing and dance along book to share during storytime. The animal behaviors described in lyrics gets children imitating animal behaviors and “boogie, woogie oogie” throughout the entire book. This engaging book will get any group of children out of their seats.

ALCATRAZ IS NOT JUST A PRISON

Apparently, librarians are ruling our world. Had I known this earlier, I would've taken my duties as a librarian a little more seriously. But after reading ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE EVIL LIBRARIANS by Brian Sanderson (allegedly), perhaps it's not such a good idea to even BE a librarian! When Alcatraz Smedry turns thirteen, he is shown an entirely alternate universe than the one he lives in, a place where guns are not the most effective weapons, and it's a good thing to show up late and break stuff. It's a place where Alcatraz Smedry feels accepted and loved, and somewhere that he is appreciated instead of rejected. It's also where he begins his adventures of restoring the world ruled by librarians to its natural order. Recommended for 5th - 8th grade.

MUD TACOS

One morning, playing in the garden at her grandmother’s house, Mario and his sister Marisa use their imagination and make from a large cardboard box, a mobile restaurant that sells tacos for lunch. Mario runs through the yard looking for big leaves, mud and petals of flowers to decorate the tacos. The tacos look very appetizing, but the appetite of Marissa goes off and does not dare to try. Making mud tacos in the yard, Mario and Marissa decide to have real tacos for lunch and headed for her grandmother to accompany them to buy the ingredients needed to prepare some delicious tacos.On the way to the supermarket, they stop at their cousins’ home Rosie and Chico. Chico behaves like a bully boy trying to intimidating the cousins and starts acting super mature. When Mario and Marissa invite their cousins to visit the improvised restaurant, Chico proclaims himself too big for those silly childish games and Marissa and Mario think that maybe Chico would like to taste a mud taco. Funny store with nice colorful illustrations. Kindergarten. Ages 5-6. Written by Mario Lopez and Marissa Lopez Wong, illustrated by Maryn Roos.

GREATEST WORDS TO LIVE BY

If you want to read one book and get bunch of incredible, amazing and inspiring ideas and thoughts than this books is for you! A GIFT OF DAYS: THE GREATEST WORDS TO LIVE BY is compiled by STEPHEN ALCORN which lift your spirits, make you will want to do great things for yourself and others and allow you to think of extraordinary things that you usually would not think of. This beautiful book of quotes with great illustrations of the people that are depicted is a treasure. Famous people such as Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Walt Disney and Mia Hamm are just the few to mention in this collection of famous people’s quotes that are inspiring, imaginative and clever. Here is one to live by “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree” –Marin Luther
For grades 4th and up.

SWEET 15

Destino Lozada will be pretty soon 15 years old. Her parents decide to prepare a "quinceañera" traditional party to celebrate the birthday of their daughter's transition to a señorita. These plans put Destiny in the midst of a family dispute between her parents' traditional ideas and liberal ideas of her older sister America that sometime declared herself in a hunger strike to prevent her own quinceañera party. Destiny's conflicting feelings about whether she wants to continue being a tomboy or a girl, are upsetting and realistic. Destiny prefers to continue doing her skateboarding and watching TV. After months of struggle between the mother and sister about the event and trying to find out who will be her escort for the occasion, Destiny learn to express their feelings and even finds love.The book provides Spanish vocabulary that explore the Hispanic cultural tradition. Grades 7-9 . Ages 12-14. Written by Emily Adler and Alex Echevarria.

SMILE, OR ELSE!

Grandpa woke up one morning to find his teeth, which he always kept in a glass of water on the nightstand, have gone missing. Everyone in the family as well as the entire police force is recruited to search for the stolen dentures but nothing turns up. Grandpa suspects everyone in town, especially if they didn't smile. Business begins to fall off because tourists were too scared to come to a town full of smilers. So, desperate and miserable, the town comes together to discuss a solution to make Grandpa and everyone else happy again.

Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement is a fun and clever picture book for older readers in 1st - 4th grade.

HEY, AL!

I am sure that you have read countless books about people and their dogs. But I promise that this one is different in that they turn into different creatures due to special circumstances. The story begins just like any other story about a man and his dog. They live together, do things together and have a very close and royal relationship with each other. As days go by however, they start arguing and get tired of doing the same things on a daily basis. To their surprise, a toucan arrives at their window and invites to take them to some version of paradise. However, things turn spooky when they see they are also changing into birds… You need to read the book to find out what happens to this dynamic duo! HEY, AL is by ARTHUR YORINKS and the beautiful illustrations are by RICHARD EGIELSKI.

For grades 1st to 3rd.